Category Archives: Briefly

Ramadan in Malaysia

“Ramadan through the eyes of foreigners in Malaysia” :: Borneo Post. I’m one of the foreigners interviewed.  The article also ran in Bahasa Malaysia as “Ramadan Menerusi Kaca Mata Warga Asing Di Malaysia.”   Ramadan through the eyes of foreigners in Malaysia Posted on August 5, 2013, Monday KUALA LUMPUR:  Zikir, which occurs before the start […]

Review: Crusades through Arab Eyes

by Amin Maalouf  Not only did our troops not shrink from eating dead Turks and Saracens; they also ate dogs! Documentation of rampant cannibalism among the Franj comes from the Franj themselves, but the historical accounts from Arab witnesses are what makes this book so enjoyable: the cannibalism, the elective surgery by battle-axe, the trials-by-ordeal,all […]

Raffles: Invasion of Java

Raffles & the British Invasion of Java by Tim Hannigan The book covers a fascinating, obscure moment in colonial history: the launching of Stamford Raffles’ career with the five-year invasion of Java. Those five years are rich with material that Hannigan presents with a fresh eye, sensitive to the Javanese side of the story. The […]

Traveler, the path is your footprints

By Antonio Machado Traveler the path is your footprints and nothing more Traveller, there is no path You make the path by walking When walking you make the path And when you turn to look back You see the path that you will never trod again Traveler, there is no path Only sparkling reflections on […]

Removal of Confusion: Review

by Ibrahim ibn Abd-Allah Niasse A basic treatise and theological defense of sufism and its practices; fine, but not much different from a lot of similar material available from other tariqats.  I would have enjoyed learning more about the history and activities of the Tijaniyya, who are said to be the most active Islamic missionaries […]